Customised Employment Resources

Customised Employment tailors a job or self-employment (including microenterprise) to fit the interests, contributions and conditions for success of a person, while also meeting the needs of a business or the market for a product or service. Customised Employment starts by thinking about the person, NOT the job. It is a negotiated relationship that starts with the skills of the person with disability and looks to meet a specific area of benefit to employers – meaning it is mutually beneficial for a business and a Job Seeker.

Customised Employment provides a set of strategies and principles used to support people with disability, especially those with significant disability, into real, meaningful work. It has been used with people with developmental disability, who often face low expectations about their capabilities, but the principles and strategies can be applied to any person.

Customised Employment starts with the strong fundamental principle that everyone can work in typical, paid employment; however, people with complex disabilities are often disadvantaged by traditional job-seeking practices. So this approach looks at the contributions of the person, rather than how they compare to others.

There are three stages of the Customised Employment Process: (1) – Discovery; (2) Job Development; and (3) Job Site Supports.

Securing Futures Through Employment

An employment guide for people with disability with the support of their families. Throughout this guide, real-life examples are provided, as well as activities to brainstorm and help support the practical implementation of the suggested steps. This resource was created in collaboration with people with disability and their families (PDF).

Customised Employment Explainer

This document is handy when preparing for an initial meeting with an employer/potential employer. It describes Customised Employment, as well as give you ideas on how to introduce the person through their visual resume (PDF).

Discovery Record

The first step of Customised Employment is Discovery. This process happens before developing plans to move forward. Information discovered during this process can be captured in this Discovery Record (PDF).

Business/job seeker compatibility analysis

This is used in the second step of Customised Employment, Job Development. It helps to identify employer needs and works with the employer to identify a specific job for the person by considering three possible areas of need: (a) unmet needs (b) tasks currently completed by staff that don’t form part of their role and would be better performed by others and (c) tasks that strengthen the business (PDF).

Seeking quality Customised Employment supports

This resource aims to support family members to approach services or job coaches in a positive and helpful way, to helpf achieve better Customised Employment outcomes (PDF).

Using your NDIS Funding for Customised Employment

This resource provides information to families who are supporting their family member to utilise their NDIS funding to implement the Customised Employment approach. As with any funding scheme, it will be unique to each person’s individual circumstances and will be impacted by how their NDIS plan is managed (PDF).

Customised Employment Series (video playlist)

In this series, Customised Employment experts Milton Tyree and David Mank speak about Customised Employment and elaborate on its first step, Discovery. Discovery is a process that helps uncover a person’s interests and strengths; and identify workplace conditions that will help the person to thrive in an work environment.

The Young Entrepreneur - a successful story of microenterprise

A microenterprise is a small business that is simple to start, requires minimal capital and has a viable purpose. It is a small business that is created for and around the person. It is a pathway to work that connects the person to their local community and is aligned with their skills, interests, passions and strengths. In this video, Luca Weber, owner of Braille by Luca and his mother Susanna Wagner share their insights around creating and running Luca's microenterprise.

Animated Customised Employment explainer videos

Imagine More, our partners on the School to Work Project, with support by the Canberra Business Chamber, have launched animated explainer videos about Customised Employment. The videos are for employers, families, schools and services who are curious to know more about the Customised Employment process, as well as those who are committed to supporting people with disability into real, meaningful employment.